


Living in Time with Loved Ones

by RubinaLadybug



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:08:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25060639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RubinaLadybug/pseuds/RubinaLadybug
Summary: Losing a love one can be tough. Spending time with people can help out. Yugi learns the value of making the most of a moment. One shot!
Kudos: 7





	Living in Time with Loved Ones

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Fanfiction. Enjoy!

**Living in Time with Loved Ones**

“ _They’re doing it again_.”

Yugi sat on the bottom step of the stairs in his home. His Puzzle lied in his lap. He held it tightly. His eyes stared into a strip of light formed from the kitchen. He heard hushed voices from his folks and his grandpa. His body had grown slightly stiffed, yet he remained stationed; he couldn’t risk instigating any noises. His focus was so intense that he didn’t notice his partner sitting next to him.

“Yugi, it’s late; shouldn’t you be in bed?” Yami asked unswervingly.

The question remained unanswered by the boy.

The spirit noticed the adolescent’s unceasing concentration. He then picked up the anxiety forming in the teen’s heart. He took a seat next to him.

The brown grandfather clock in the den ticked; the gold-colored pendulum displayed in the clear case swung evenly at every wave. The lights were off with only the shine from the moon barely entered through the concealed curtains.

The anxious teen persisted to be in his place.

“ _How long do they plan to work on it tonight?_ ” he wondered. “ _Are they finishing it all up tonight? Will they try and work on this once more if I go off on another tournament?_ ”

Yugi had enough of the mystery. He placed the Puzzle over him and wandered closer to the kitchen. He was hidden enough to stay veiled, but he clearly saw what was happening like a sniper watching his prey. The whole ordeal appeared like an old fashion newsroom seen in movies. His father had with him his laptop; he typed away on critical documents and browsed through important files that only he understood. His grandpa had mini stacks of paper, reading each sheet carefully and tearing up others. His mother used her tablet in a faux leather case while switching between print. Their faces appeared tense with their eyes yearning for sleep. Warm coffee in white, porcelain mugs had been placed on matching saucers. Their tones were serious, but they stayed faint. They assumed their child was asleep, and they didn’t want to wake him, lest he stumbles upon their operation.

But Yugi already knew what they were working on. He had seen his folks occupied like this before. He was only a child at the time; he had woken up and decided to venture into his family’s working station, and he was quickly guided back to bed.

“ _Why are they keeping this a secret from me? Aren’t I old enough to know what’s going on?_ ”

He hadn’t seen them engaged on this project lately. His father was often out of town on business, and his mother was quite involved in numerous out of the house activities. He didn’t want to categorize their jobs as the culprit, but it had been some time since papers with legal terms printed on front had been out.

“ _Did any of this hafta do with what happened thanks to Pegasus and Duelist Kingdom?_ ”

Yugi remembered the great pain his family underwent after the senior had his soul stolen. He and his parents had been told by doctors that due to his condition there was a chance the old store owner wouldn’t make it. Yugi knew he needed to travel to Duelist Kingdom to liberate his grandparent, but his folks remained worried, unaware of what really was taking place. Upon returning home, the old man had persuaded his grandson to not mention the true event to his folks. And Yugi obeyed.

“ _I didn’t tell Dad and Mom about this because I respect Grandpa’s decision._ ” Yugi reflected. “ _But I mean, even if we told the truth, I don’t think they would have believed me. But aren’t there any insurance policies that covers the work of heroes?_ ”

He overheard an important conversation.

“Has Yugi said anything about going off on another tournament?” his father asked.

“No,” the man’s wife answered. “And if there is one coming up, he’d better complete his homework.”

The small adolescent made no comment as he continued his observation.

“You have so much junk in the basement,” he heard his father remark to his own father. “What do you plan to do with it? I’m sure Yugi has something better to do than keep an eye on your ancient games that don’t come with cool graphics.”

“Don’t get started on that.” his wife snapped. “Or I’ll quit this and you two will need to split payment on a lawyer.”

The two men understood the woman wasn’t joking.

“Yes, dear,” the man accepted.

“I do have some ideas for them, but I don’t want to get Yugi involved in this just yet,” Solomon decided. He smiled, “Let him enjoy himself. He’s having a great time in high school, and he’s got a good group of friends.”

“You’re only saying that because they all play Duel Monsters.” his son remarked as he rolled his eyes. The younger man held nothing against the popular trading card game, and his own interest had boosted upon the mass productions of dueling arenas and duel disks, but he was one to call out any biases his father produced.

“It’s more than you know,” his father winked.

Yugi stared down into the carpet, allowing what had been stated to sink in.

Hearing voices once more, the teen snapped his head and gasped seeing the group standing up. He spotted his father stretching as his mother turned off all the electronic devices. His grandpa was washing out the remains from their caffeinated beverages. His heart rate rose spying his parents heading out of the kitchen. He looked around, trying to find a place to hide. He may have wanted an explanation, but now he needed to stay out of their sight. He crouched down behind the sofa as his parents walked by.

“You know we’ll need to be doing this for us, too, someday.” the wife remarked cautiously.

“Yes, but I have a feeling that that won’t be for a while.” the husband replied nonchalantly. “I mean, look at my dad; he’s been around since dinosaurs, so I’m pretty sure I have it good. Though, I can’t speak for you—”

The man at once yelped in pain as his wife angrily tugged his ear.

“Shh!” she scolded in a quiet voice. “We don’t need you to wake up Yugi!”

Released from his wife’s lethal grip, the man sheepishly rubbed his injured area. “Yes, dear.”

Yugi masked himself among the darkness as his parents shuffled around. He remained as solid as a block of wood. He wondered how long it would be until they hid that mentioned work from him. Reflecting his grandpa’s words, he wanted to speak with him. Once cleared, he entered the kitchen.

“Hi, Grandpa,” he greeted using a faux cheerful voice.

“Oh, Yugi,” the old man gasped. He hadn’t expected his grandson to walk in at this time. Everything in the house was quiet, so he turned surprised finding someone else awake right now. He quickly responded, “Everything ok?”

“Yeah, I just came to get something to drink.”

Yugi walked over to a cabinet and pulled down a plain glass cup. He walked to the fridge and placed his glass underneath. Water shot down inside the containment in a clear flow. As he stood in position, he heard a few papers being placed away. He understood his grandpa was casually masking them so he wouldn’t see them or take notice of them. With his back turned away from his grandparent, his facial expression dropped his giddy act and displayed his true glower.

He pulled his filled cup away and rubbed one finger against it. He thought about what the old man had uttered just moments ago. Aside from attending school, completing chores, and saving the world from evil forces, his life was pretty carefree.

He closed his eyes and drank his water. He must have been more dehydrated than he anticipated, for he managed to finish his entire glass with ease. He then set it upside down near the sink on a white rack intended for dishes.

“Um, Grandpa?” he called.

“Yes, Yugi?”

The teen turned quiet before responding, “Um, it’s nothing.”

He at once hugged his grandparent before departing for the night.

* * *

Yugi closed his bedroom door silently. He removed his Puzzle that jingled slightly as the chains were scrunched together and placed it on his desk. He took a seat on his bed. His shoulders were relaxed, and he rested his wrists over his thighs. He wasn’t prepared to sleep.

He listened to his composed home as everything and everyone settled into the quarters. He ignored his bedtime. His mind buzzed with what his grandpa had explained to his parents. It didn’t take him long to revisit a time in his past when someone else he cared about disappeared from his life.

He closed his eyes. He imagined an elderly woman, one with kind eyes and a bright smile, one with a soul that enjoyed games. The image was present, but then vanished the next. The teen clinched his fists with his large eyes watering. He soon felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Yami.

The spirit’s demeanor appeared more sympathetic than before. He had picked up his partner’s pain, a subject that had come up before. He looked directly into his companion’s eyes that shined from his tears reflecting in the moonlight.

“I dunno if I can go through another loss,” the teen admitted immediately. He at once clasped his eyes as his fingers squeezed the threads of his pants. There had been a time when his family wore black and attended an important ceremony. The day wasn’t one covered in dark clouds and mood setting rain like in the movies; it was a bright, clear one. Flowers were a common decoration and one that held meaning. What was unusual at the altar was a game board, Backgammon. But the body being placed to rest had carried a soul that adored games.

Yami remained silent as his partner spoke.

“Even though Grandpa was sad, he comforted me!” Yugi sobbed. “I loved Grandma! And I was so sad when she died!”

He remembered his unceasing weeping. He was sullen to understand that such a wonderful woman had passed on. And he was grief-stricken to have lost another gamer in the family. He wondered how often the old man lied in bed, wishing to be with his spouse once more.

Yami understood his friend. He accepted the idea of setting no time limit on grief, but he also needed to give him support. He reminded gently, “Yugi, you have plenty to be glad about.”

“I know… I just think,” Yugi sniffed as he nodded. “How grateful I am that he’s still around. It’s not uncommon for a spouse to pass away after a loved one does. I’m also glad with… how sharp his mind is. He’s still able to remember a lot, like me.”

The adolescent was aware how elders became senile. He still enjoyed evenings with his grandpa, playing games and sharing stories before bed time. He didn’t know how he would feel if his grandpa had forgotten who he was. The idea hurt his heart.

Yami sat on the mattress and listened to his buddy. He carried empathy about his grief, but death is part of life. He gave his own input, “Yugi, you have shared plenty of good times with him. You both play your games so well. Games kept his soul young. And it’s not like you can duel death.”

“But isn’t there something I can do?” Yugi whispered, his voice begging for an answer.

“There is,” Yami assured. “Yugi, you are doing everything just by loving him.”

He hugged his partner.

“You’d be surprised how much that means to that person.”

Yugi buried himself into his partner and bawled.

“ _I know it’s gonna happen one day. Will I be ready when it does?_ ”

* * *

On a typical, sunny day in the late morning, Yugi entered the store portion of his home. He had already changed into his black muscle shirt, uniform pants, and shoes with the studded belts. He had no school today, but he wore most of his uniform anyway.

“Hi, Grandpa.” he greeted quietly. His voice typically was soft due to being groggy in the morning, but after his emotional outburst he was still worn out.

“Morning, Yugi.” the old man smiled. “I see you’re finally up.”

Yugi ignored the last comment; he was a teenager, and he enjoyed sleeping in. Despite already knowing the answer, he decided to ask, “Where are my parents?”

“They’re out having one of your dad’s business lunches. They said they will bring you back a hamburger.”

“Oh, ok.”

Yugi normally turned thrilled hearing he would be eating his favorite meal, yet he remained quite listless in his expression. He couldn’t focus on his treat with so many downer thoughts swarming his head. He had eventually fallen asleep, but his emotions didn’t rest. And they arose with a roar after he dressed himself.

And his grandpa at once noticed. He asked with concern, “Yugi, is everything ok?”

“Oh, uh, yeah.”

“Are you doing anything with your friends today?”

Yugi looked down at the floor with large, green tiles. He really held no idea of what activities they had committed to already. He answered truthfully, “I’m not sure.”

“Well, you could always call them and see what they’re doing.” the store owner reminded. “You know they’re always free to come by the shop.”

Yugi was silent for a moment before responding, “I dunno… Maybe I’ll stick around here. Is there anything that needs to be done?”

“Nothing outside your usual chores.”

“Ok.”

Yugi looked behind the desk and spotted what he needed. It was a simple broom; the handle was long, and the bristles were firm and held together by bands below the middle. He grabbed it and headed outside. He proceeded the simple motion of back and forth, moving rocks and leaves that had piled up as foot traffic passed by. He understood how important it was to maintain a spotless appearance for picky costumers who gripe about hygiene.

“Cleanliness is next to godliness.” Yugi mumbled, having heard that phrase multiple times.

Not much dirt had been moved, so the chore was completed for now. He headed back into the empty shop. It was a slow day.

“Grandpa, since there’s no one here, I’ll sweep inside. Ok?”

“That’s fine.” the old man nodded. He was glad to hear his grandson offering to complete a chore before he needed to address it.

The young adult began to sweep the large, green tile flooring, working around the clear cases bolted to the ground. He made several small piles of dirt before piling them into a dust pan and dumping it in a trash can. He didn’t notice his grandpa leaving when he ended it.

Sweeping was just one job out a few he needed to complete. He was a student, so his family didn’t assign him anything too tough or one that would take time away from his studies. He normally would rush to finish each task and return to his world of videogames, but today he didn’t have the energy to hold a controller.

A horrid thought soon ran into his mind: “ _What if Grandpa gets something and it becomes serious?_ ”

Yugi didn’t want to risk anything. He traveled to a compact room with two large appliances that washed clothes. He grabbed a tall, thin can of disinfection and a few worn down washcloths deemed for cleaning from a cabinet. The store remained empty at the time, so Yugi began to wipe down the windows of each display case. He sprayed the disinfection and placed in plenty of elbow grease. The little game shop was a pretty clean place and easy to maintain, but Yugi wanted to ensure that all was hygienic.

He then studied the top of each cabinet. “There’s a little bit of dust. I better get to it before more piles on.”

He placed away his previous supplies and brought out a duster with disposable wipes. He usually brushed off top of the merchandise, but the teen decided to take his time to really purify the place. He moved a few stacks of the boxed games and rubbed each one. Since the store had earned quite a bit of money, namely through the popular game of Duel Monsters, a few more cabinets had been placed in. These household additions may cause Yugi to perform a bit more work, which he at times resented if he had an important videogame that needed his attention, but he was glad that a store his grandpa started was still doing well. He swapped the disposable tops a few times as he moved along.

“That’s better.”

Seeing the front door, Yugi identified another spot that needed attention. He went outside. The front door had eight windows, four in each column with two in each row. The red paint had been reapplied over time due to chipping, fading, cracking, or just needing a new shade. The teen stretched his legs and crouched down depending on what window he was on. He also wiped down the gold-painted door handle. He made a face as he thought out loud, “I know a lot of people touch this without even washing their hands.”

He turned around and spotted the green carpet out front. He examined it judiciously, eying areas that had thinned, threads that were pulled apart, and dark spots. “When was the last time this was changed?”

On the inside of the building, the old man had spotted his grandson outside. He came out to see what the boy was doing. Before he spoke, a sudden explosion of light followed by darkness caught both their attentions. The two glanced up over the door.

“Hmm, it looks like one of the lights burnt out.” Solomon observed. “I guess I’ll need to replace it.”

Yugi didn’t want his grandpa to fall down and break a bone, or worse. The old man already had a bad back no matter how many times he tried to deny it.

“I’ll change the bulb, Grandpa.” he insisted. “Why don’t you just hold the ladder?”

“All right, Yugi.”

Once the senior returned with a split ladder, Yugi began his way up. The lights in front of the building were off; they brightened once the sun began to set. He unscrewed the bulb that needed replacing. A little dust sprinkled down from the sudden motion and landed on his nose. “Achoo!”

“Bless you.” the old man chuckled.

“Thanks, Grandpa.” Yugi mumbled as he rubbed his nose. As he went about to change the bulbs uninterrupted, he thought, “ _Looks like I’ll need to dust these, too._ ”

Finishing up his task, he asked, “Grandpa, can you pass me the duster?”

The old did not question his grandson and simply obliged.

Yugi went about to carefully clean up. He heard his grandpa say, “When you’re done with that, are you up for repainting the roof?”

“What?” Yugi asked, unsure how useful he’d be at house maintenance.

“I’m just kidding.” the old man chortled as Yugi stepped down. “You’ve done plenty already.”

Yugi picked up the carpet and asked, “Should I place this in the washing machine? I think it’s been out here too long.”

“Leave it out here for now.” Solomon decided. “I’ll just buy a new one in a few days.”

Yugi was hesitant. He didn’t want something so filthy to be in place where anyone had placed their shoes and walked inside. He reluctantly obeyed and repositioned it. He closed his eyes and sighed.

The two walked back into the building and resided inside the house portion.

Yugi plopped himself into a chair, one that was purchased for home décor rather than relaxation. The structure was a fake rosewood color, and the green cushions on the back and the seat were stiff. He closed his eyes and exhaled heavily. His feet had grown sore, and it didn’t help the fact that he wore his new shoes that were style over comfort. “ _Next time, I’m choosing the shoes. I don’t care what Yami says; these ones hurt after a while._ ”

He heard the phone ring, but his body refused to move. He wondered if his jelly-like arms gained a little bump of muscle; that would be something he could show off to his friends. Luckily, the exasperating ringing came to an end as he heard his grandpa talking to the other line. He didn’t bother to listen in; he just wanted five minutes of peace. He opened his eyes hearing his grandpa walking over to him.

“You should go and wash off.” the old man suggested.

“But isn’t there anything that needs to be done?” Yugi asked, still concerned for his grandparent despite his fatigue.

“You’ve done enough for today already.” Solomon smiled. “Go wash up. Your parents will be back soon.”

Yugi felt himself becoming a little sore. He agreed so he could wash off the smell of lemon and sweat; he planned to use the hot water to sooth his aching muscles. He stood up and strode over with his stinging feet. Entering the bathroom, he noticed a few toothpaste droppings on the sink. The mirror had some water spouts, and he didn’t want to think about the toilet. He debated what to do next.

He opened the cabinet underneath the sink. He only spotted half the needed cleaning supplies. He closed his eyes and sighed, “I’ll do it another day.”

* * *

Wearing a fresh outfit that appeared exactly the same as before, Yugi returned to the kitchen. He looked at the table and spotted a black container that restaurants use for food. He expected to see his folks, but they weren’t around.

“Where’d my parents go?” he asked.

“Your father got a call and needed to head straight to another meeting for a computer deal.” Solomon answered. “Your mother went along with him since she likes that part of town.”

“Oh.” Yugi replied. He opened up the black container and spotted his hamburger with a side of French fries. The scent of the fried potatoes and grilled meat overcame his senses. He had built up a powerful hunger after all the labor he freely committed.

He pulled down from a kitchen cabinet a glass plate. He placed down his meal from the containment. He removed the ketchup from the fridge and took it with him as he sat at the table. Just as he prepared his meal the way he liked it, he looked around the kitchen and saw it was empty.

“ _I wonder if Grandpa had eaten lunch already._ ” Yugi pondered. He took a small fry from his plate and chewed on it. He noticed that as he kept everything clean, he hardly had a chance to see his grandparent.

* * *

Yugi sat quietly in his classroom as his friends talked. His elbows rested on top of his desk with his palms placed under his face as he hunched his back forward. He didn’t know what the topic was, and he was too busy to focus. His mind droned with questions regarding his only living grandparent.

“ _What if he gets kidnapped again? Could he handle a Shadow Game if someone challenges him? What if something happens to him while I’m at school? Are Mom and Dad pressuring him to hire more people for the store? Will he still be able to live at home? What if—_ ”

“Yo, Yug, what’s up?” Joey asked, noticing his friend lacking participation.

“Huh?” Yugi mumbled, lifting his head up. All eyes were on him, so he decided to answer, “Oh, sorry, guys. I guess I’m a little tired. I did an extensive cleaning for the game store yesterday. I cleaned the cabinets, swept and mopped the floor, dusted the shelves and games, and I even changed a light bulb.”

“Wow, that’s alotta chores.” the blond commented. “Was Gramps in some sort of mood?”

“Um, no, not really.” Yugi replied honestly. “I just thought that, um, the place could use a good cleaning. Which it did. There was a lot of dust everywhere.”

The gang laughed.

“It probably wasn’t as bad as Joey’s place.” Tristan cracked as he held his nose. “That smell will stay on your clothes for weeks.”

“That’s not true!” Joey protested. “I totally recycled all those old newspapers and cleaned out the garbage can!”

“Yeah, but what about the stain on the carpet from the ramen noodles you spilt last week?”

“I’ll just cover that with Febreze. Replacing carpet for a room can be expensive.”

Yugi took in that remark. He pondered pensively, “ _I wonder if that will work on the store’s outdoor carpet. Maybe we can use that until Grandpa replaces it. I wonder if we have any._ ”

“Yug, you’re spacing out on us again.” Joey called, reeling in his friend once more into the present and out of his anxious mind.

“Wha? Oh, I was just thinking. I was cleaning up yesterday, and my grandpa joked about repainting the roof. It’s in good shape but…I guess I just don’t want Grandpa to stress out about the building.”

“Come on,” Tea tried to comfort. “Your grandpa told us about him being trapped in a pyramid, stung by scorpions, and bitten by Tibetan wolves. I’m not sure which stories are true, but he’s certainly one tough cookie. A little work won’t take him down.”

“Wow, does he plan to compete in an old Iron Man competition?” Tristan joked.

“If he does, he’ll have the best cheer squad every!” Joey shouted, fully enthralled by the idea. “We’ll have T-shirts, pom poms, a megaphone, and everything! We’ll be Team Gramps!”

“I don’t think Grandpa has that kind of energy to do that,” Yugi replied, feeling not as thrilled as his companion.

The group persisted to chat about the imaginary event.

“But Tea should watch out what she wears,” Joey commented gleefully. “We don’t need to give all these old geezers heart attacks before the competition.”

He was at once smacked in the back of his head by Tea.

Yugi smiled. He was glad to have such good friends; they had helped him out greatly at Duelist Kingdom, and he was glad to still have them in an everyday setting. His stressed out mind calmed a little as he listened.

* * *

Pacing in his bedroom, Yugi debated about what to do. He still wore his jacket, but he had left his backpack on his grey folding chair and his Puzzle on his desk. He tried his best to remember his grandpa, and whenever his dad was in town, he would try and spend time with him, sometimes with engagements in one on one activities. Yet he worried these won’t be enough; he feared his precious memories of yesteryear may fall apart like the Puzzle had once done in a warehouse.

“ _The Puzzle had fallen apart because I was powerless to do anything. I placed it back because I wanted my friend again. I accepted that my life wouldn’t be normal after having the Puzzle. But what can I do for something that everyone goes through?_ ”

And idea struck him.

“That’s it!” he declared out loud.

“What is?” Yami asked. He had emerged out of the Item hearing his partner’s preoccupied thoughts. He had given his friend time to handle this problem on his own, as what people need to do, but he believed he needed to keep his light from falling into an anxiety-filled abyss.

“I know I can’t stop anything like this from happening, but I can make good memories.” Yugi explained. “I’ll start right now. I’ll just spend this afternoon with my grandpa. He said he was going to do some errands, so I’ll go with him.”

Yami questioned the teen’s mood swing. He asked with concern, “Yugi, are you sure this is the best way?”

“Not now, Yami. I need to get ready for the rest of the afternoon.”

Yami was about to speak when he stopped himself. He knew how much this meant to Yugi. He possessed memories of his own now because all the adventures he had spent with Yugi and everyone else. At times when he was searching the Puzzle for any clues of his past, whenever he became down, he smiled and remembered what he had. Perhaps the small teen truly was on to something. He placed his hand on his light’s shoulder.

“Hmm?” Yugi looked at his partner.

“Don’t worry about me.” Yami encouraged. “I’ll be in the Puzzle, so you go on and have fun.”

“Sure thing, Yami.” Yugi nodded while wearing a genuine smile. “Thanks.”

After Yami disappeared from sight, Yugi placed the Puzzle over him. Although the ancient pyramid did carry his friend, it was because of his grandpa that the teen had found it in the first place. Yugi’s wish to have friends had remained a secret to everyone, but the old man did encourage the boy to complete it. And Solomon was quite proud for the teen’s triumph.

Yugi happily exited his bedroom and ventured downstairs. He just saw the old man preparing himself to leave. The teen understood he needed to act innocuously; he didn’t want his grandpa to become alarm over the true reason behind the mission.

“Where are you going, Grandpa?” he asked with faux but plausible curiosity.

“I just have errands to do.” the old man answered, thinking nothing of the question.

“I’ll go with you.” Yugi insisted innocently.

“All right, but I’m not going anywhere that’s entertaining.”

“That’s fine.” Yugi smiled. “ _As long as I can spend time with Grandpa, that’s all that matters._ ”

The senior locked the door to the game store, and he and his grandson exited the small shop. They walked down the crowded sidewalk; the afternoon of a weekday came by, so many were now engaging in errands as well.

“Were your friends doing anything after school?” Solomon asked. He had grown surprised in finding his grandson home so early.

“Oh, well, nothing in particular.” Yugi replied, understanding the question was just for small talk.

“You and your friends don’t have any big tests coming up?”

“No, just the usual. Going to school and all that.”

“Sounds like you’re in a bit of a rut.”

Yugi laughed lightly for his response. He had landed in one, trudging by each day in a rotten routine. But he was only a student, so there wasn’t much in his control. On the other hand, no evil had captured the souls of the innocent and demanded the Puzzle wielder’s attention, so he considered that to be a minor plus.

The two came into a large store. The first stop was for light bulbs. Rows were filled with various size bulbs with brightness to consider. Yugi didn’t know the size the family needed, but his grandpa picked up a couple of packages with ease. They were placed into a green basket the teen carried (by his choice).

The second stop involved looking at various mats to be placed on the outside. Yugi had no opinion of which one to select. He never thought much about home décor or what would sell well in the shop; he just expected these items to be in place.

He glanced down to the ground and thought, “ _Will I be able to take good care of the home and game store? Does Grandpa expect me to take control of the store? Or what else does he have in mind for it?_ ”

“Yugi, let’s go.” his grandpa interrupted.

“Oh, right!” the teen replied. He quickly caught up to the old man, having been unaware he had already committed to a decision.

The pair moved on to looking at vases. The minor trip was sought out only because Yugi’s mother had requested for it. Solomon agreed to it after being shown an image; he also wanted to thank his daughter-in-law for all the help she had been placing in. His aged eyes demonstrated what was bearing through his sharp mind.

Yugi didn’t like what he was seeing. He was one to promptly change a subject if it was one that was too close to his heart or one that his heart couldn’t handle.

“Let’s go get some tissues!” he urged. “I think we’re all out!”

“Ok, ok.” Solomon agreed. He followed his grandson as the adolescent marched on.

The aisle was packed with different brands. Some were cheap, others had colorful packaging, and some came in value sizes. The teen kept to himself as he chose a box for no particular reason as his mind wandered once more.

“ _Does he want to be buried? Will he be with Grandma? Or will he be cremated instead? Will I be strong enough to see him on a self?_ ” Yugi vigorously shook his head, ridding himself of those sorrowful ideas. “ _I gotta stay focus!_ ”

“Yugi?” a voice called. “Did you hear what I said?”

“Huh?”

“I asked if you needed anything for school, like a poster board or pens.”

“Oh… Um, no, I’m good.”

As the two headed for the cash registers, they passed by the aisle that carried notebooks, erasers, and sticky notes. Keeping in mind his conversation from school, Yugi was sure to grab a bottle of Frebreeze. Though they may have bought a new carpet, the teen wanted to ensure safety.

On their way back home, Yugi looked at his grandpa. He was aware of him holding a PhD and his extensive travels around the world to test out his luck in gambling and in games. He had heard plenty of exciting tales. He had been acquainted with few several times, but he always appreciated that his grandpa would share these adventures with him, especially when he would linger around the house at a time before he completed the Puzzle.

He looked at the cracked concrete and sighed gloomily. “ _What am I going to do without him?_ ”

Solomon turned concerned with his grandson’s troubled attitude. He knew his grandson would dodge any question that could be turned, so he asked directly, “What is going on with you?”

“I was just thinking about how much has happened in your life.” the young adult answered truthfully. “It kinda makes me wonder…”

He trailed off for a moment before finishing with, “It makes me wonder what I’ll do next with my life.”

“You’re making it sound like I’m already dead,” Solomon rolled his eyes. “Like when you claimed that the Puzzle was going to be a momentum of me.”

“You’re right,” Yugi laughed. “Sorry.”

The two arrived home and placed away their purchased items. (Yugi made sure to spray the front mat with Febreze before heading inside.) The vase went on a bookshelf, the carpet was placed in the basement for storage, and the light bulbs had been put away into cabinets along with the toolbox and the working gloves.

The young adult entered the bathroom to put away the excess tissues under the sink. He stood up and turned on the faucet as he proceeded to wash his face. Drying his wet features with a towel, he became lost in thought.

“I just spent some time with Grandpa,” he noted to himself. “Will something like this be part of a distant memory with a future me yearning for moments like these again? If only there were other activities going on, like a fair. I dunno if he’ll be around for the next one.”

Yugi headed out of the bathroom. “ _If only…_ ”

His thoughts ceased as he noticed a game board. The game board with thin triangles on each end was covered with various game pieces: a total of thirty checkers, two pairs of dice, a doubling cube, and dice cups. He asked confused, “What are you doing, Grandpa? Why do you have Backgammon out?”

“Just setting up a few things for tonight.” the old man answered while wearing a cheerful smile. “Since you don’t have any homework, I figured we could do something fun.”

The teen smiled; this was what he wanted. He always enjoyed playing against his grandpa. He had played against his parents, but his skills were quite advanced. His heart was always grateful to have such a good teacher for games, especially Duel Monsters, and also a great opponent.

“But first I need you to go to the store and pick up some snacks so we can have something.” Solomon conditioned.

Yugi’s smile fell a little.

“Yugi, why are you frowning?” Yami asked bewildered. He had yet to instigate a sound all afternoon. He understood the pain he had been feeling from his partner, but he truly wanted him to spend time with a loved one. He reminded gently, “Your grandpa appears like he is setting up something fun. Isn’t this what you wanted?”

Yugi sighed. “I wish we had gotten them earlier.”

His grandparent made nothing of his disgruntlement and gave him some cash. “ _Better make this quick_.”

The teen hurriedly left his home with the sun having already left his side of the world. He traveled to the nearest convenience store with plenty of lighting inside and out. The place had one employee behind the cash register with two or three customers throughout the entire place. Yugi snatched a few bag of chips and some fruit as an alternative for his grandparent. With no trouble brewing, he came back with a small plastic bag.

Yugi placed the change on the kitchen counter. As he grabbed a bottle of water, he heard familiar voices in the other room. He came into the den and spotted his usual group of friends. They appeared as though they were truly enjoying their company with the old man.

“What’s going on?” he asked completely befuddled. He didn’t expect to see them; they never made any plans for tonight, and he didn’t receive any calls from them.

“’Sup, Yugi!” Joey greeted, his goofy grin in full display.

“Your grandpa invited us over.” Tristan informed.

“Of course, these two jumped at the chance for free snacks,” Tea smiled.

“Yugi’s got the snacks!” the two males cheered.

Before they had the chance to sever Yugi’s hand holding the bag, the small teen quickly placed it on a small table. The two ripped open the bag and attacked their snacks like beasts. As they feasted, Yugi turned to his grandparent.

“You’ve been looking so down that I thought a visit from your friends would be enough to cheer you up.” Solomon explained. He had noticed something was bothering his grandson, and he wanted to help out.

Yugi saw his grandpa had been playing a game against Joey. He had turned surprised with just how fast his crew had assembled. He remained in place as his friend and grandparent returned to Backgammon. He spotted Joey’s persistent confusion of the game play as his grandparent explained twice about how he had gained victory.

“Take a seat, Yug!” Joey urged with a friendly smile. “Watch me as I go against Gramps for a second time and win!”

“We’ll just see about that, Joey.” Solomon replied. His grin demonstrated his pride and joy.

“Hey, you taught me Duel Monsters, and I’m great at it!” Joey reminded with smugness.

“So great that he may just one day beat a monkey with a duel disk,” Tristan joked as Tea laughed.

“No this again!” the angered blond warned using a tempered voice.

The petite adolescent remained in place as he watched the second round. Everyone around him appeared as though they were genuinely having fun. Yugi remembered a time when it was just him and his grandpa. He now had a bigger group to expand upon and take delight these very same activities. In his heart he was truly happy to have company over; his friends made each occasion memorable.

Some memories can be made through planning, like a birthday party or a school play. Others just happen. Unexpectedly. And sometimes those days stick out more.

Accepting the gift in front of him, Yugi took a seat on the sofa next to Tea. The two smiled at each other. Yami appeared in his transparent state, and he sat on the armrest next to his partner. He had his arms crossed over his chest.

“Did I ever tell you all about the time I was bitten by Tibetan wolves after I beat a man in a game of Chinese checkers?” Solomon asked, ready and excited to tell a past story about his life.

“Yes,” everyone answered flatly at once. They had heard many stories from the old man, and they sometimes debated among themselves which ones were true. For one, there was a story about him giving fine details about the interior of a royal palace in Egypt, unaware of his past life seeping into his current memories.

“Why don’t you tell us again,” Yugi challenged. “Let’s see how many dogs chased you this time.”

The old man accepted. “It started off as a freezing one. I may have been a goner if not a man had offered me some shelter…”

Yugi and everyone listened intently. As the senior carried on, Yugi briefly looked around the room.

“ _I know it’s gonna happen one day. But now it looks like I won’t be the only one missing him. I know I’ll have the support of my friends as we comfort each other and talk about days like today._ ”

He knew he would be grieving one day due to the strong family bond, but for now he decided to enjoy his time with those he loves.

**The End**


End file.
